Buy a slab of ribs. Remove from the package, and peel the membrane off the underside. (Work a butter knife under the membrane near a bone at the middle of the rack. Wiggle a finger underneath, then pull the membrane away in one long strip.)

Light the Egg, put in the platesetter with the legs up, and slide a shallow foil drip pan atop the platesetter. Put the grill grate on top.

Allow the temperature to rise to 225-250 degrees, then adjust the lower vent & upper damper, stabilizing the temperature.

Put the ribs on; cook for 4-6 hours, mopping with a little apple cider vinegar, fruit juice, etc. once each hour. Test for doneness at 4 hours–the meat will shrink, exposing the bones on one side. When a center rib bone twists easily away from the meat, consider the rack done. For sauced ribs, apply a little barbecue sauce and cook 15-20 minutes more.

That’s it. Nothing to it, assuming the correct equipment and 4-6 hours to hang around the house. No great mysteries or lengthy apprenticeship to an old pitmaster required. Without a Big Green Egg, it’s a little more challenging. You’ll need to experiment with a gas grill to determine the right combination of flame & burner for indirect heat at 225 degrees. With a charcoal kettle grill, the trick is to keep the fire burning for a long time at a low temperature….you’ll almost certainly have to add additional, burning coals at some point during the long cooking time. Hey–two more reasons to invest in an Egg!